This invention relates generally to the formation of wall panels, and more specifically relates to the formation of prefabricated polymer building wall panels, which can he constructed at the factory, easily transported, and conveniently handled at the job site for erecting into a building wall.
A large number of wall structures, designed to ease and reduce the expense of fabrication of building walls, foundation walls, or the like, have long been available in the art. A variety of U.S. patents disclose such, such as in the patent to Longinotti, No. 4,234,634, upon a prefabrication system for building walls. The patent to Grutsch, No. 4,516,372, shows another form of concrete frame work, for use for constructing a plurality of panels. Furthermore, the patent to Ott, et al, No. 4,604,843, discloses what is identified as a lost-form concrete falsework. The latter patent likewise discloses the arrangement of bridging members, apparently useful for forming the wall, before the concrete is poured. Other U.S. patents include the patent to O'Beirne, U.S. Pat. No. 994,027, which discloses interlocking concrete panels. The patent to Langenberg, U.S. Pat. No. 2,181,698, discloses another form of wall construction. In this instance, the wall is formed of various inner and outer slabs, which are interlocked together by means of connecting ties. The patent to Wheeler Nicholson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,149,437, discloses a further form of building construction. The forms used therein are quite complex of fabrication, as can be seen. The U.S. patent to Goldman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,151, shows a building unit with laterally related interfitting panel sections. The patent to Gregori, U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,076, discloses another type of concrete form, made of prefabricated polymer, such as polystyrene units, which are layered in place. The patent to Liester, U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,826, discloses another type of concrete wall forming apparatus and method, as does the second patent to Liester, U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,021. A further patent to Gregori, U.S. Pat. No. 3,788,020, discloses a foamed plastic concrete type of form with fire resistant tension members. The patent to Francis, U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,326, shows a development entitled "A Brick Panel Construction." The patent to Lount, U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,920, shows another type of foamed plastic concrete forms, and connectors therefor. The U.S. patent to Taggart, U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,061, shows yet another form of method and apparatus for forming insulated walls. The patent to Dielenberg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,967, discloses an apparatus relating to building form work. The U.S. patent to Doran, No. 4,577,447, discloses a construction block, formed as a building block, and apparently constructed of polystrene beads. The patent to Schneller, U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,915, shows another form of exterior wall. The patent to Young, U.S. Pat. No 4,706,429, discloses a permanent non-removable insulating type concrete wall forming structure.
Finally, various publications have defined the construction of foam homes, which are generally panels prefabricated of foam material, and which interfit together into some type of geodesic shape for furnishing a building structure.
It is, therefore, the principal object of the current invention to provide a prefabricated polymer building wall panel, which is custom cut to accommodate the flow of concrete therein, for reinforcing purposes, into a skeletal type reinforcing structure, and which prefabricated forms can then be shipped to the job site for erection.
Another object of this invention is to provide a prefabricated polymer wall form, basically formed of polymer foam material, and therefore being reasonably lightweight, to accommodate their ease of handling and transmittal to the job site for erection into a sizable building wall.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a series of prefabricated panels, being reinforced with concrete, lighweight concrete, or the like, which is arranged and oriented in a variety of angular directions, generally vertically and horizontally disposed, within the wall structure, to add to its reinforcement, and its load bearing characteristics.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a prefabricated building wall panel, reinforced with concrete, and which further contains metal reinforcing rods, to add significantly to its ability to withstand tension and compressive forces, in addition to lateral wind loads.
These and other objects will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the summary of this invention, and upon undertaking a study of the description of its preferred embodiment, in view of the drawings.